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Acts study & commentary

Acts 7

By Doug Ford
Stephen's Address: The Call of Abraham;
The Patriarchs in Egypt;
Israel Rebels Against God;
God's True Tabernacle;
Israel Resists the Holy Spirit;
Stephen the Martyr

Stephen was full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people.   He was one of the Hellenists that took the role as a kind of deacon to make sure the Hellenist widows were served appropriately.  He became a target of the synagogue of the Freedmen.  They were unable to defame or discredit Stephen in a debate so they brought unjust charges and backed them up with false witnesses.  The charge was blasphemy, the penalty was stoning.  Stephen was taken before the council and accused. 

The Freedmen made the accusations, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."

The false witnesses gave testimony, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us."

The council looked on Stephen and saw a man whose face was that of an angel; a man calm and composed.  Stephen was a man who understood his life was not in the hands of this council; his life was in God's hands.  He wasn't at the mercy of these men with no integrity; he was at the mercy of His merciful God. 

 

Acts 7:1-8

The high priest was probably Ciaphas.  He was high priest till 36AD.  When he asked, "Are these things so?" he was asking for his legal plea; as if to say, "How do you plead before this court, Stephen?"  Stephen doesn't really answer the question but gives them a history lesson or maybe a lesson of the scriptures.  I wonder if any of this surprised or even interested these guys.  I can picture these guys rolling their eyes as if to say, "get to the point man, we know all this." 

Stephen was given the floor to defend himself but this is not really a defense at all but a bible lesson.  God existed before the Jews; He's always been and always will be.  He doesn't reside in the temple alone for the Jews alone.  God has been at work and present in the lives of men for all time.  Stephen is building a case of an awesome God that has always been true to His promises in spite of the rebellion and disobedience of His people.  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the Fathers of the Jews; the pride and heritage of these men of the council.  Stephen established the source of the covenant promise as he was preparing to informing these men they more closely resembled their rebellious and stubborn ancestors than Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.    

 

Acts 7:9-16

Stephen gave a sweeping account of the beginning of the nation and of the Jews.  At first there was only Abraham and a promise.  God was faithful in His promise, even when it seemed like things were taking too long or not going well.  In all those times, God was at work.  Joseph's brothers, the tribes, the people of Israel, God's people sold Joseph into slavery.  But within that wicked act, God was working out the salvation of the tribes.  Joseph was rejected, sold for the price of a slave.  When great trouble came over the land then Joseph was made known to his brothers and saved their lives. 

In Joseph we see a type of Christ.  He was betrayed for the price of a slave, was reckoned as dead.  He went to prepare a place for them.  At the first meeting, they did not recognize him.  At the second meeting, he was revealed to his brothers; their eyes were opened.  In a similar way, Jesus was a betrayed for the price of a slave.  When he was revealed to the Jews the first time, he was rejected.   A time of Jacob's trouble will one day come.  This is known as the Great Tribulation.  In this day, Jesus will be revealed again and the eyes of Israel will be opened.

As Stephen speaks these things, we must understand, this is the heritage of every Jew.  They would all identify with these things and be in total agreement with Stephen to this point.   

 

Acts 7:17-22

Stephen told the history of Moses and revealed some interesting facts and confirmed a few others.  The king "arose" could mean a foreign king rose against the Egyptians and there seems to be some historical evidence of that.  It seems that they feared the Jews becoming too large and controlling too much.  They began population control by killing the male children.

All the council, both Pharisee and Sadducee are in agreement.  At this point they may be thinking this Stephen guy can't be all that bad.  He sounds like a good Jewish man.  He knew his history and heritage.

In Moses we can see a type of Christ also.  Moses was the deliverer of the Jews and a prophet.  As a baby his life was threatened by the king who was threatened by the Israel.   The life of Jesus was threatened as a baby also as Herod had the babies in and around Bethlehem killed.  He was called to deliver his people.

 

Acts 7:23-29

After 40 years marks the end of Moses' training and God begins to work on his heart.  He is about to begin a new phase in life.  God's timing is perfect and rarely what we think it ought to be.  Suddenly Moses is concerned with the oppression of his people and he defends and avenges them.  Stephen interpreted the cause of Moses actions and the response of these men.  He assumed the Jews understood that God would use him to deliver them.  Who made Moses ruler and judge?  That was God, but they did not know, nor did Moses truly understand that.

Moses ran off to the Land of Midian to escape the repercussion of murder. 

 

Acts 7:30-34

It took another 40 years in the wilderness before Moses was ready.  I imagine after those forty years had passed Moses had given up on any thoughts of being a deliverer.  He probably thought he'd made a mistake in thinking such a thing.  Or that killing the Egyptian had disqualified him.  Then, he transitioned again to another phase of life.  He saw a flame in a bush and drew near. 

God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  There had probably been many gods passed before the eyes of Moses in Egypt and Midian.  The Lord was establishing Himself as The One and Only God.  Sandals were removed in reverence but also a custom so as not to track profane dirt into the holy place.  It is reported that the priests performed their duties in the holy place barefooted.

 

Acts 7:35-37

God had provided a deliverer to tribes of Israel.  He raised up Moses, a prophet and when it was revealed to them the first time, they rejected him.  Who was this 'they'?  It was the Israelites, the forefathers of those who stood before Stephen.  He sets this picture of their deliverer and the outright rejection of him by their forefathers.  Stephen was presenting Moses as a type of Christ.   Did they actually see it and understand?  Moses was rejected when he was revealed the first time and accepted the second time.  Moses would do signs and wonders as a mark of authenticity that he was sent from God.

Stephen pointed out it was this very same Moses who said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.' (Deuteronomy 18:5).  Stephen practically drew them a picture of Jesus, labeled it and enlarged it to make it easy to see and they still didn't get it.

Now Stephen is entering into controversial territory.  He's about to split the council.  The Pharisees were nodding in agreement.  Yes, there was one like Moses coming, a man, a great leader, a prophet.  That's what they were looking for.  To the Sadducees, the messiah was an ideal, a model for a political ruler. 

 

Acts 7:38-43

These Jewish leaders revered Moses, the giver of the law.  However, they quickly forgot the rest of the story in that their fathers were disobedient and immediately rebellious. While they didn't physically go back to Egypt their hearts were still there, filled with sin and disobedience. 

These men of the council wanted to lean on the law and Moses, so Stephen preached to them about Moses.  Their fathers were delivered and yet they were inclined back toward Egypt.  They formed a calf and showed the idolatry in their heart.  In spite of what they deserved; God delivered them.  In response to their deliverance, the people of Israel took Egypt, Molech and Rompha with them to the Promised Land.

Stephen quoted Amos 5:25-27.  The Sadducees only believed in the Pentatuch as scripture.  They didn't consider the words of the prophets.  Stephen is pointing out that Israel bore a guilt regarding the incident of the golden calf.  God gave them over to these other Gods.  They suffered in the wilderness wandering for 40 years.  They rejected God's promise and plan.  Instead of God's plan they chased after and worshiped other gods.

 

Acts 7:44-50

Stephen was making the point that God is greater than the temple.  God doesn't reside in the temple and doesn't need it.  The temple couldn't contain him.  God made all things – the earth is His footstool.  Incredible!  Stephen is out-teaching the teachers of the law, arousing the ire of the council.  They have to be starting to boil.

 

Acts 7:51-53

In their arrogance, these leaders saw themselves as the teacher and were therefore unteachable.  They saw themselves as those to enlighten or shake people when needed.  They were confident in their understanding of God.  With all this, they missed Jesus as He stood before them.  They had made it about themselves, no faith.  It's as if Stephen saw this and Spirit moved him to give them a spiritual shaking.  It was like yelling, "WAKE UP!"  He's giving them a warning that they are heading for another wilderness experience for rejecting God's plan.

God used the term stiff-necked and uncircumcised of heart to describe the rebellious children of Israel.  They were more like their fathers than like Moses. 

One of the things I witnessed growing up was when my Dad told mom that she was 'just like her mother.'  It wasn't one if his finer moments.  He knew instantly he should not have said that.  Mom, not wanting to be compared, didn't appreciate that.  Stephen pointed out to this council that they were just like their forefathers.  They resisted the Holy Spirit.  They were stubborn and stiff-necked.  They persecuted all the prophets, not wanting to hear from God.  They killed the prophets who spoke of the coming Messiah, the Just One. 

Then Stephen crosses a line.  It's as if Stephen says, "You, people of this council, are not just like your fathers who killed the prophets; but you killed the one who the prophets told was coming."  Stephen considered these leaders who help him in court as betrayers and murderers.  In theory, they held fast to their law but in reality, and practice, they didn't keep it, as no one could.  The disciples had been previously accused of trying to bring the blood of Jesus on this council.  That's exactly what Stephen is doing.  He's trying to show them their need for the cleansing blood of Christ.

 

Acts 7:54-60

They were furious as in Acts 5:33; cut to the heart was to be so emotionally effects, it was like having your heart sawn in half.  They gnashed at him with their teeth; this is a jaw clenching, teeth grinding anger.  This seems to be a sign of being just barely able to maintain control. 

Stephen had drawn them in by giving them history and heritage they would agree with.  Then he smacked them with the truth.  Stephen laid it right out there where they couldn't help but understand.  He threw caution to the wind.  This was such a great setup.  These people had rejected Moses the first time, they had rejected the prophets, and now they were rejecting their Messiah.

Stephen was filled with the Spirit.  Looking at the entire sermon we see a great knowledge of scripture and great memory.  (I'm sure he didn't have sermon notes with him.)  He didn't defend himself but used his time to proclaim Christ.  We know Jesus ascended to be seated at the right hand of the Father.  But here Jesus is standing, possible to receive this first and faithful martyr of the church. 

Notice the presence of the Trinity in this situation.  Stephen is filled with God the Holy Spirit.  With his eyes on heaven, he sees the God the Father and God the Son at His right hand.  Stephen wasn't trusting in men and ways of men.  He wasn't trying to please men.  He wasn't even trying to win them over, if that were possible, it was God's job.  He was simply presenting the truth.  See also Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69. 

They acted in one accord; this is one of the few times this council was in agreement.  In doing so they proved the very point that Stephen had made.  This false claim of blasphemy in a kangaroo court led to them breaking the law they were upholding.  In this, they once again confirmed their rejection of God's plan, rebellion against God, and disobedience.

The penalty for blasphemy was stoning.  Blasphemy was speaking irreverently about God.  See Leviticus 24:14.  Stephen seemed to have a high view of God and there didn't seem to be any irreverence.  The problem was that his view didn't agree with that of the religious professionals.  Do we not see the same thing in our world today?  You can speak of God all you want in a general and generic fashion.  But you can't speak exclusively of Jesus and you certainly can't imply that God has certain moral values that are important to Him. 

This is Saul's first appearance in scripture and we see that he was fully involved in the persecution and in full approval of the punishment of Stephen.  Stephen prays and then goes to sleep, sounding very much like Jesus as he did so.    

A time of great trouble is coming.  The time of Jacob's trouble and when Jesus comes, the eyes of the Jews will be opened and they will see Jesus and know that He is their messiah. 

©2008, 2014, 2021 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater